Good shot load

[Appalachian Harry]

Hello everyone I was wondering if anyone has any examples of a good shot load (been shooting mine from 25 yards) (I also have 20 gauge flintlock Fowler). I just found a good round ball load and I’m trying to find a good shot load for 7 1/2 shot for birds and 6 shot for squirrels. I want to know how to know what is good load and not and how measure it? (at least from a black powder shotgun standpoint)

Any info on this would be awesome!

 

[jackpine54]

There's some pretty good info here.

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/SmoothboreLoads.html
Also look at the skychief load sticky.

I can say that my smoothbore likes ffg better than fffg. That skychief load gives good patterns in mine as well.

 

[Appalachian Harry]

here is an example from today. 7/8 oz of 7 1/2 shot sky chief load with 70 grain 2f (top picture) and 65 grain 2f (bottom picture)

 

[Brokennock]

Definitely follow the link @jackpine54 provided. That whole website has a wealth of information.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

How to know varies a bit. The old paper plate idea (shooting a paper plate at a given distance to see your shot concentration) then can (shooting a soup can to see penetration) is a good place to start.
I use large newspaper with an 8.5x11 sheet taped to it. I draw a 3" circle on the sheet and shoot for it. I get an idea of my shot concentration that way at varied distances.
Once I get the pattern I'm happy with, I shoot a can at that distance to see how many pellets hit and enter the can.